Oxidative stress (OS) is caused by one or more reasons which disturb the balance between strong oxidant and antioxidant within the body, and the imbalance between strong oxidant and antioxidant is the main reason of a variety of cell injury within the body. Oxidative stress is considered as the primary reason for diabetes and chronic complications of diabetes, pulmonary fibrosis, epilepsy, hypertension, atherosclerosis and related cardiovascular diseases, cancer, kidney disease, and Parkinson's disease, etc (Clinical Chemistry, 2000, 46, 145-146). Oxidative stress may be involved in changing gene expression directly thereby result in the abnormal mechanism and eventually the lesion. Alternatively, oxidative stress may be involved in changing gene expression indirectly via some oxidized material. First of all, increased oxidative stress brings the body into a “sub-healthy” state, then into organic lesions. The period from oxidative stress increased above normal level to the appearance of organic lesions is known as the window period for oxidative stress attenuating intervention (WPOS). Within WPOS, the occurrence of various diseases can be effectively prevented by quickly reducing the oxidative stress level, i.e. by WPOS manipulation.
“Sub-health” refers to the body is between health and disease, there is no organic lesion in this state but has functional change. If the “sub-healthy” state is treated properly, then the body can be transformed to health; otherwise will be onset of disease. “Sub-health” is often diagnosed as fatigue syndrome, endocrine disorders, neurasthenia, and menopausal syndrome, etc. It is mainly represented as physical fatigue, fatigue, reduced immunity, easy to get cold, shortness of breath when sport, sweating, back and leg pain, anorexia and so on. The psychological specific appearance include hypoemotivity, emotional low, the reaction retardation, insomnia and more dreams, daytime sleepiness, inattention, memory loss, irritability, anxiety, easily frightened and so on. The “sub-healthy” population is more prone to be ill than health population. And the person engaged in mental labor is in high-risk of “sub-health”.
The main reason for “sub-healthy” is broken down from constant overwork, including physiological and psychological overload. Besides the physiological overload caused by excess exercise, mental overload is more easily to induce oxidative stress increasing and reduced immunity, which is an important reason for sub-health and is a threat of life. Secondly, lack of exercise is also a very important inducement. Due to lack of time to do physical exercises, there will be disorders of cardio- and cerebro-vascular, gastrointestinal system, immune system, as well as the areas of cervical disease. Thirdly, the working environment is of significant impact. For instance, prolonged use of computer will result in vision recession, joint injury, radiation injury, head and shoulder pain, as well as autonomic nervous system disorders, depression, arteriosclerotic psychosis. Finally, environmental factors are also of great importance. Air pollution, automobile exhaust pollution do harm on our body, at the same time, long-term use of food additives, clenbuterol and antibiotics will damage health.
In order to avoid “sub-healthy” state by means of reducing the oxidative stress slowly, one should change their life pattern, have reasonable meals, sleep adequately and on schedule, and exercise appropriately. Meanwhile, one should learn how to regulate his emotion, to treat pressure, to open mind, and to cultivate a wide range of interests and hobbies. Also, if possible, try best to improve the environmental conditions.
It is very important and necessary to use exogenous means to reduce the oxidative stress rapidly. First, many people are too busy to do enough physical exercise; second, the amount of materials secreted by the body have a limit to against oxidative stress, especially with the aging of the body, the number of free radicals generated by the body rise rapidly (Exp Gerontol, 2001, 36, 957-968), and the synergy effect between the materials against excessive free radicals also declined greatly. The above methods such as do physical exercise and change life style can not quickly reduce oxidative stress, and when oxidative stress levels are very high the body's immune ability is very low and are in high risk of ill.
Therefore, the materials and methods for rapidly reducing oxidative stress is in urgent need.